Brake rod supporting means



Feb. 21, 1933. c. E. WELLMAN BRAKE ROD SUPPORTING MEANS Filed May 27, 1952 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1933 ii a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. WELLMAN, OF DEARBOEN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T FORT) MOTOR COMPANY, OF DEARBORN, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BRAKE ROD SUZ PPORTING MEANS Application filed May 27, 1932. Serial No. 613,985.

An object of my invention is to provide a deflection occurring in the resilient portion brake'rod supporting means especially adaptof the brake support when the brake is being ed to support the intermediate portions of applied. J automotive vehicle brake rods whereby rat- I Referring to the accompanying drawing, I

tling of the rods will be eliminated. Heretohave used the reference numeral to indi- 55 fore, it has been conventional practice in decate generally a chassis frame having a center signing automobiles which are equipped cross member 11 upon which a transverse with mechanically operated brakes to provlde brake operating shaft 12 is rotatably a central transverse brake operating shaft mounted. A rear axle 13 together With 1 and to connect the ends of this shaft with the torque tube 14 and a pair. ofradius rods 15 brakes on each wheel by means of longitudi form, a part of the vehicle chassis, the rear end nally extending tension rods. This invention of the frame 10 being supported on the axle provides a relatively inexpensive and simple by means of a transverse spring 16. Suit means for resiliently supporting the interable wheels 17 are driven'at the outer ends 15 mediate portions of these rods so as to permit of the axle 13, each of which wheels is prolongitudinal movement thereof while at the vicled with a brake mechanism 18 and each same time preventing rattle between the rod of which brakes is operable by a tension rod and the support. 19 which extends from the particular brake Still a further object of this invention is to forwardly to a suitable lever 20 formedon 201 provide a support of the class described which the adj acent-end of the brake operating shaft will resiliently urge the brake operating rod 12. It will be noted that the shaft 12 is conto its released position to thereby assist in siderably shorter than the axle 13 so that themaintaining a clearance between the brake rods 19 extend substantially parallel to the shoes and brake drums when the brake pedal radius rods 15. Inasmuch as the forward is not being applied. end of the torque tube is pivotally secured to With these and other objects in View, my the center cross member adjacent to the cross invention consists in the arrangement, conshaft 12, it 'is apparent that upon movement struction and combination of the various of the axle relative to theframe, the rods 19 parts of my improved device, as described in and adjacent radius rods will move more or I the specification, claimed in my claims and less together. I I I illustrated in the accompanying drawing, 1n The rods 19 are tension rods and are .ecowhich: I I nomicallyconstructed, having a small diam- Figure 1 shows a plan view of the rear eter so that during the normal operation of portion of an automobile chassis having my the vehicle these rods have a tendency to whip Y i improved brake rod supports mounted and it is to prevent this whipping action by '85 thereon. means of novel supports at the intermediate Figure 2 shows a side view of that portion points on the rodstha't forms the basis of of the chassis shown in Figure 1, one rear this invention. 1

wheel being removed and part of the chassis In order to accomplish this purpose,vI'have 40 frame being broken away to better illustrate provided a bracket which is detachablysethe construction. 7 cured to each radius rod 15 and which-extends Figure 3 shows a sectional view, taken on outwardly therefrom andin which the interthe line 33 of Figure 1. mediate portion of the adjacent brake rod.,19' Figure 4 shows a sectional View, taken on is resiliently secured. This bracket consists the line4-tof Figure 3, illustrating the norof a wire 21 having one end thereof bent mal position of the brake rod support, which around to form a relatively large eye, as

is that position assumed by the device when shown by the dotted lines 22 in Figure 3,

the brake is released, and while the other end of this wire is bent at Figure 5 shows a sectional view, similar to right angles and has a smaller eye 2 f m the view shown in Figure 4, illustrating the on the end of the bent portion. The eye 23 is secured to the radius rod by means of a bolt 24 so that the end with the large eye extends outwardly from the one side of the radius rod.

A novel feature of this device consists in the means whereby the brake rod is supported by this bracket. A cup-shaped member 25 is molded with the eye 22 embedded in the rim of the cup member, this member being formed of resilient rubber andhaving an'integral rubber sleeve 26' extending from the bottom of the cup up therethrough beyond the rim portion thereof. The free or normal position of this assembly is shown in Figure 1, from which it will be seen that the rod 19 when inserted through the sleeve 26 will be resiliently supported against radial movement by the cup 25. Thus, rattle between the rod andthe supporting wire 21 will be eliminated. The sleeve 26 is of somewhat smaller bore than the diameter of the rod 50 that the sleeve frictionally grips the rod. It will be noted that when the rod 19 is moved axially to the position shown in Figure 5, the sleeve 26 will be drawn forwardly thereby distorting the material of the cup 25. WVhen the brake applying force is relieved from the rod 19, the cup will return to its original shape thereby resiliently urging the brake rod to its inoperative position. It will, of course, be apparent that the thickness of the material of the cup member 25 will control the resistance offered to axial movement of the brake rod. Further, that the brake rod is only held through the frictional engagement of the sleeve 26against the rod so that if for any reason the rod 19 is moved beyond the working stroke of the device then theresilient member cannot be torn from the eye 22 but will simply slide along the brake rod.

Among the many advantages arising from the use of my improved device, it may be well to mention that my brake support is especially easy to manufacture as well as being inexpensive; that it should last at least as long as the car; that it requires no lubrication; that rattle between the support and the brake rod is effectively eliminated thereby; and that the device also returns the brake'rods to their inoperative positions.

Some changes may be made inthe arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts of my improved device without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims such changes as may reasonably be included within the scope thereof.

I claim as my invention.

1. In a device of the character described, a comparatively rigid bracket having means associated with one end thereof whereby it may be securedin position on the vehicle chassis. said bracket having an opening formed. intheopposite endthereof, and a cup-shaped member of resilient material secured around said opening, said cup-shaped member having means associated with the center portion thereof whereby a brake rod may ext-end therethrough and be frictionally gripped thereby. v

2. In a device of the character described, a comparatively rigid bracket having means associated with one end thereof whereby it maybe secured in a fixed position on a vehicle chassis, said bracket having an opening formed in the opposite end thereof, a cupshaped member of resilient material secured around said opening, and a sleeve formed integrally with the bottom of said cup extending axially therethrough which sleeve is adapted to frictionally grip a brake rod so that both lateral and axial movement of said rod is resisted by the resistance to deformation of said cup member.

3. In a device of the character described, a comparatively rigid bracket having means associated at one end thereof whereby it may be fixedly secured in position on the vehicle chassis, said bracket having an annular opening formed in the free end thereof, and a cupshaped member of resilient rubber molded around said opening, said cup member having an integral axial sleeve xtending therethrough which is adapted to frictionally grip a brake rod. whereby both lateral and axial movement of said rod is resisted by the resistance to deformation of saidrubber member.

at. In a device of the character described, a comparatively rigid bracket having means associated with one end thereof whereby it may be fixedly secured on the vehicle chassis, said member having a relatively large eye formed in the free end thereof, a cup-shaped member of resilient rubber molded around said eye, the rim of said cup member having the material of the eye embedded therein, and a sleeve formed integrally with the bottom of said cup member and extending axially therethrough, said sleeve being proportioned so as to frictionally grip a brake rod when the latter is disposed therein, whereby both lateral and. axial movement of said rod is resisted by the resistance to deformation of said cup member.

5. In a device of the character described, a comparatively rigid wire .bracket having means associated with one end thereof whereby it may be secured in position on the vehicle chassis, the other end of said wire being bent around to form a relatively large eye, a cupshaped member formed of resilient rubber molded around said eye so that the material of the eye is embedded in the rim of said cup and a resilient rubber sleeve formed integrally with the bottom of said cup and extending axially therethrough, said sleeve being pro portioned so as to frictionally grip a brake rod, whereby'both lateral and axial movement of said rod is resisted by the resistance to deformation of said cup-shaped member.

6. In a device of the character described, a comparatively rigid Wire bracket having one end bent back upon itself to form a small eye whereby it may be fixedly secured to a vehicle chassis, the other end of said wire being bent around to form a comparatively large eye, a cup-shaped member of resilient rubber molded around the relatively large eye, the material of said eye being embedded in the rim of said cup member, and a resilient sleeve formed integrally with the bottom of said cup extending axially therethrough, said sleeve being proportioned so as to frictionally grip a brake rod, whereby both lateral and axial movement of said rod is resisted by the resistance to deformation of said cup.

CHAS. E. WELLMAN. 

